Mazal Tov's View More

Judge Considers Releasing Ex-Agriprocessors Leader

Tony Leys – Desmoines Register

CEDAR RAPIDS, IA — A federal prosecutor warned Wednesday that if a judge releases Sholom Rubashkin from jail, the former Agriprocessors executive could quickly flee to Israel.

“The risk of flight here is acute, it’s too great,” Assistant U.S. Attorney Peter Deegan said in court.

But Rubashkin’s lawyer said his client is tightly tied to his family and the community of Postville, where he ran the packing plant for years. The lawyer, Baruch Weiss, added that Israel has a strong extradition agreement with the United States. Even if he somehow could get to Israel after surrendering his U.S. passport, Weiss said, Rubashkin surely would be sent back. “With these sorts of charges, he will not find a home in Israel, and he knows that.”

Jewish Kindergarten Re-Opens in S. Petersburg

S. PETERSBURG, Russia [FJC] — The Jewish Kindergarten at Novolitovskaya Street, 7 in Russia’s northern capital has once again re-opened and it is operating under a new name – the “Gan Chaya Mushka” Chana Epshtein Kindergarten. This new title was given to the kindergarten at the encouragement of S. Petersburg businessman Yevgeniy Kupsin, who is widely known in the community and renowned city-wide for his charitable work.

Yevgeniy Kupsin has taken the kindergarten under his wing so-to-speak. Not only did take it upon himself to cover the cost of the high-quality renovations to the premises, but he also provides funding for the pre-school’s ongoing support.

Kinus Hashluchim 5769 Kicks Off in Crown Heights

By Tamar Runyan

BROOKLYN, NY — Whether by plane, train or car, thousands of Jewish activists from all over the world made their way to the Crown Heights section of Brooklyn, N.Y., for the much-anticipated 25th annual International Conference of Chabad-Lubavitch Emissaries. The rabbis began trickling in on Tuesday as their flights landed at John F. Kennedy International Airport.

Downturn an Upturn for Searching and Study at Chabad

R. C. Berman – Lubavitch.com

WILMINGTON, DE — How much is silver lining going for these days?

As 401 Ks plunge, attendance at Chabad center programs across the United States is surging. So are the calls for counseling and the requests for help paying the heating bills. From Florida to Delaware, Arizona to California, Chabad representatives are helping their communities cope with uncertain times.

Mazal Tov! – Its A Boy!

We would like to wish Mazal Tov to Dovid Leib and Dina (nee Weiser) Perlstein (Crown Heights) on the birth of their firstborn son.

May the newborn be a source of Nachas to his parents, grandparents, relatives and Klal Yisroel.

Kosher Meat Market Widens

DNEPROPETROVSK, Ukraine [FJC] — The Dnepropetrovsk-based ‘AS’ Company, a leading producer of kosher meat in this part of eastern Ukraine, has announced the provision of its new service – the delivery of its products to customers’ homes.

Sholom M. Rubashkin’s Bail Hearing Today at 3:00pm

After the faxes kept pouring in yesterday the Rubashkin family would like to thank all those that took their time to write a letter, and are asking that we say Tehillim and learn something L’zchus Sholom Mordechai HaLevi ben Rivka.

The hearing taking place tomorrow is to determine if bail should be granted to Sholom Mordechai and if he is a flight risk.

There will be a Minyan at the Ohel at 3:00pm for Tehillim.

For more info and if you have ideas or something to offer or suggest for the case please email protestforkosher@aol.com

More Gun Violence, Man Shot on Empire Boulevard

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — More gun violence erupts on the Streets of Crown Heights, only this time in broad daylight. At around 4:00pm a person was shot in the leg on Empire Boulevard and Schenectady Avenue.

More pictures in the Extended Article.

Photo Gallery: Free Seforim on Kingston!

Lined up along 770 is piles of used older Seforim with a sign in Hebrew which read “take a blessing into your home, all the seforim here are free, whatever remains by nightfall (late) will be taken from here”.

More pictures in the Extended Article!

PSA: A Fax Can Help with Pidyon Shvuyim

Shalom M. Rubashkin and the Jewish families of Postville are in URGENT need of your support TODAY (November 18, 2008) by 5:00pm Central Time (6:00pm Eastern Time).

We need personal letters faxed to (563) 864-3460 or (563) 864-6073 that can attest to:

City Bus Swipes Parked Car

CROWN HEIGHTS, Brooklyn [CHI] — An MTA bus swiped a parked car on Kingston earlier today, the incident took place on Carroll and Kingston at around 12:30pm as the bus apparently tried to pull into the bus stop across the street and hit the parked car.

More pictures in the Extended Article.